In the face of pressing ecological, economic, social, and political challenges, the world stands in need of a social systems renewal. We need individuals and communities that are educated and skilled in virtuous habits of the mind (e.g., awareness), the heart (e.g., compassion), and the body (e.g., engagement) to address the global challenges of our times.
How can virtuous prosocial qualities and behaviors such as trust, cooperation, empathy, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, truth-seeking, and reparation-making be cultivated in individuals, families, schools, and communities such that we support generations of people in becoming agents of positive change in the world today? The future of our planet, and all its inhabitants, depends on our collective ability to answer this question in ways that are compassionate and inclusive, evidence-based, practical, and immediate, as well as culturally and developmentally diverse.
SRI 2020 is an exploration of prosocial development across the lifespan of individuals and within communities, and of how history, social contexts, relationships, and contemplative practices all play key roles in such development. Integrating academic, contemplative, and artistic knowledge and wisdom, we will address how the development of prosocial qualities can be promoted at different stages of life––from infancy and childhood to adolescence, and from early adulthood to old age––and in different cultural-historical situations, through the use of contemplative practices, educational and social programs, community-building and activism, and systems reform.
Program Sessions
2020 Summer Research Institute Session
Developmental Contemplative Science: Framework for the Study of Prosocial Development
Phil Zelazo
Topics: Brain & Cognitive Science | Compassion & Empathy | Education
2020 Summer Research Institute Session
Trust and Fairness in Development
Philippe Rochat
Topics: Compassion & Empathy | Interconnection
2020 Summer Research Institute Session
Compassion-Centered Spiritual Healthcare
Jennifer Mascaro
Topics: Brain & Cognitive Science | Compassion & Empathy | Mental Health | Stress & Resilience
2020 Summer Research Institute Session
Our stories are our medicine: Centering culture and healing through story work with Indigenous communities
Ramona Beltrán
Topics: Compassion & Empathy | Interconnection | Self & Other | Stress & Resilience
2020 Summer Research Institute Session
No Place Like Home: Decolonizing our American Dreams & the Necropolitics they Bury
Jasmine Syedullah
Topics: Body-based Practices | Self & Other | Social Change | Stress & Resilience
2020 Summer Research Institute Session
Contemplating 400 Years of Inequality: A Mindfulness & Compassion Community Practice
Angel Acosta
Topics: Compassion & Empathy | Interconnection | Self & Other | Social Change
2020 Summer Research Institute Session
School-Based Promotion of Children’s Empathy, Kindness, and Altruism: Emerging Research, Lingering Questions, and Future Directions
Kimberly Schonert-Reichl
Topics: Compassion & Empathy | Education | Mindfulness | Stress & Resilience
Plenary Faculty and Discussants
Plenary faculty deliver lectures and are available to answer attendee questions throughout the week, often leading breakout sessions and participating in panel discussions. Their lectures expand on the week’s theme, deepening and broadening our shared knowledge from a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and disciplines.
Angel Acosta, EdD
Teachers College, Columbia University
Convening Faculty
Dr. Angel Acosta recently completed his doctorate degree in the Curriculum and Teaching Department at Teachers College, Columbia University. For the last decade, Angel has worked to bridge the fields … MORE
Ramona Beltrán, PhD
University of Denver
Convening Faculty
Ramona Beltrán, MSW, PhD is a Xicana of Yaqui and Mexica descent and dancer/activist/scholar. As an Associate Professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, her scholarship … MORE
Kamilah Majied, PhD
California State University, Monterey Bay
Convening Faculty
Dr. Kamilah Majied is a mental health therapist, clinical academician, and internationally engaged consultant on inclusivity and contemplative pedagogy and practice. She has practiced and taught Buddhism and mindfulness practice … MORE
Jennifer Mascaro, PhD
Science & Grants Consultant, Mind & Life Institute; Emory University
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
Jenny Mascaro is an applied biological anthropologist whose research focuses on investigating the impact of mindfulness and compassion meditation practices on the well-being, compassion, and health of both hospitalized patients … MORE
Barbara (Bobbi) Patterson, PhD
Emory University
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Planning Committee Member, Research and Programs Council Member, Reviewer
Bobbi Patterson’s scholarship focuses on lived religion and place, human and earth ecosystems, and pedagogy, particularly those involving community-based partnerships. Her scholarly training and teaching engages Christian and Buddhist contemplative … MORE
Philippe Rochat, PhD
Emory University
Convening Faculty
Philippe Rochat was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland. He was trained by Jean Piaget and his close collaborators and received his Ph.D. from the University of Geneva, Switzerland in … MORE
Robert Roeser, PhD, MSW
Pennsylvania State University
Convening Faculty, Planning Committee Member, Research and Programs Council Member, Reviewer
Robert W. Roeser is the Bennett Pierce Professor of Caring and Compassion in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Development, at Penn State … MORE
Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, PhD
University of British Columbia
Convening Faculty, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
Kimberly Schonert-Reichl is an applied developmental psychologist and a professor in the Human Development, Learning, and Culture area in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education at … MORE
Juan Santoyo
Universidad de Antioquia; Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
Juan is an early-career researcher from Colombia who works in neuroscience and contemplative research. His training has involved studying the neurophysiological dynamics underlying meditation training and sensory perception in humans, … MORE
Jasmine Syedullah, PhD
Vassar College
Convening Faculty, Fellow
Jasmine Syedullah is a theorist of abolitionist movement scholarship as well as co-author of Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, and Liberation (North Atlantic Books, 2016). She joined the faculty of … MORE
Phil Zelazo, PhD
University of Minnesota
Convening Faculty, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
Phil Zelazo is the Nancy M. and John E. Lindahl Professor at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota. His research has helped shape current understanding of executive function … MORE
Contemplative Faculty
Contemplative faculty guide participants through practices that integrate their first-person knowledge with themes being explored, interspersing contemplative art and practice sessions with free time for personal reflection. In addition to daily practice, the contemplative faculty lead the retreat time.
Kelvy Bird
Convening Faculty
Kelvy Bird is an artist and internationally recognized “scribe”, translating content and dynamics into visual, tangible formats to aid with reflection and decision-making. She has worked in the fields of … MORE
Brooke D. Lavelle, PhD
Courage of Care Coalition
Convening Faculty, Grantee, Reviewer
Brooke D. Lavelle, PhD, is the Co-Founder and President of the Courage of Care Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to facilitating the co-creation of a more just, compassionate world. Together with her … MORE
Srinivas Reddy
IIT Gandhinagar
Convening Faculty
Srinivas Reddy is a scholar, translator and musician. He studied classical South Asian languages and literatures at UC Berkeley and currently teaches at Brown University and IIT Gandhinagar. Srinivas is … MORE
Juliana M Santoyo, EdM
One Square World
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
Juliana Santoyo (they/them) is a mixed, nonbinary femme who walks the red road, born amongst the sacred mountains and rivers of the Northern Andes Mountains located in so-called Colombia. They … MORE
Laura Schmalzl, PhD
Southern California University of Health Sciences
Convening Faculty, Grantee, Reviewer
Laura Schmalzl is an associate professor at Southern California University of Health Sciences, where she teaches neuroscience, research methods, and yoga foundations for healthcare professionals. Laura initially trained as a … MORE
Martin Vitorino, PhD
Courage of Care
Convening Faculty
Martin Vitorino, PhD serves as a lead faculty member for Courage of Care and directs their LGBTQIA+ initiative. He is also the Director of Programming at InsightLA and leads the … MORE
Peter Wayne, PhD
Harvard Medical School
Convening Faculty, Fellow
Peter Wayne, PhD, is a researcher and practitioner in the field of mind-body and integrative medicine. Dr. Wayne is the Bernard Osher Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School … MORE
Program Planning Committee
The Program Planning Committee (PPC) is a committee of invited specialists from diverse disciplines and perspectives who bring their expertise to curate and produce the content for the Summer Research Institute. In addition to developing the overall theme and narrative arc of the program, the PPC actively participate in SRI and serve as leader for small group discussions. Rob Roeser and Barbara (Bobbi) Patterson are co-chairs of this year’s Program Planning Committee.
Barbara (Bobbi) Patterson, PhD
Emory University
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Planning Committee Member, Research and Programs Council Member, Reviewer
Robert Roeser, PhD, MSW
Pennsylvania State University
Convening Faculty, Planning Committee Member, Research and Programs Council Member, Reviewer
Juan Santoyo
Universidad de Antioquia; Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
About the Summer Research Institute
The purpose of the Mind and Life Summer Research Institute is to advance collaborative research among scientists, contemplative scholars, other humanities scholars, and contemplative practitioners, based on a process of inquiry and dialogue. With this unique program, we are not only nurturing a new generation of scientists interested in exploring the influence of contemplative practice and meditation on mind, behavior, brain function and health, but are also fostering the development of nascent research fields collectively referred to as “contemplative studies” (including contemplative neuroscience, contemplative clinical science, contemplative education, and contemplative scholarship).
